# What is Your Experience With Pipe Filters?



## Piper (Nov 30, 2008)

Most pipe smokers in the US and UK smoke pipes without filters and have the impression that they change or diminish the flavor of good tobaccos. In the rest of Europe, however, many if not most pipe smokers use filters and seem to believe that the benefits outweigh any real or imaginary loss of flavor. 

Inquiring minds want to know:

Do you use filters on some or all of your pipes? If you use filters, how do they affect the flavor of the tobacco and the harshness or wetness of the smoke? What kinds of filters do you use and how often do you replace them?

To kick off the discussion, I'll relate my limited experience with filters. When I was a college student many years ago, all the pipes I could afford were Brighams. They came with an aluminum tenon that could accommodate a maple-wood tube that soaked up tar and moisture. They were not terribly effective as I recall, in part because I didn't replace them frequently enough. (They cost money and I was a student after all.) I stopped using the filters and, if there was a difference, I got used to it. Most of the pipes I bought later didn't have filters and I came to believe that filters were found only on cheaper pipes and not something that "real" pipe smokers needed. Clearly most of Europe disagrees and there must be a reason that they prefer filters even on expensive pipes.

So, what's your experience with pipe filters?


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## Hickorynut (Jun 26, 2017)

I've got bacon and popcorn.........subscribing......


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## JustJoshua (Dec 7, 2016)

Hickorynut said:


> I've got bacon and popcorn.........subscribing......


What he said^

I can tell you I have not quite been enjoying pipe tobacco almost a year and have used filters and smoked without filters and to my toasted palette there is a difference.
I'm sure I be flamed so let the torches fly....


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## Mjskia (Aug 5, 2017)

I'll give you my personal thoughts, and experience with filters. I have smoked my pipes with, and without filters, and to be completely honest, I find no difference in the flavor of the tobacco.

I have used both paper, and balsa filters, and find balsa will soak up moisture better than the paper. As far as changing the filters is concerned, 3-4 bowls for paper, and 2-3 for balsa. 

If you are a very wet smoker you may benefit from the use of a filter. I personally gave up on filters due to the added cost, and bother in changing them out. 

Give them a try, and decide for yourself if they are for you. Smoking a pipe is for YOUR personal enjoyment, and should be done in a manner that pleases you. Do not be shamed into thinking that you are not a REAL pipe smoker if you use a filter.


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## Piper (Nov 30, 2008)

JustJoshua said:


> What he said^
> 
> I can tell you I have not quite been enjoying pipe tobacco almost a year and have used filters and smoked without filters and to my toasted palette there is a difference.
> I'm sure I be flamed so let the torches fly....


Was it different good or different bad?


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## Hickorynut (Jun 26, 2017)

I'll admit.....I have pipes with and without. I have not found (limited experience) that the pipes smoke differently given the same types of tobacco. 

However, I am rapidly developing a personal opinion as to which tobaccos smoke best in which types of pipes in my "blue collar" collection....


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## JohnnyFlake (May 31, 2006)

My only experience with pipe filters is that, the few times, I've purchased a pipe that uses a filter, I toss them and move on!


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## huffer33 (Jun 13, 2017)

Interesting topic. I don't think I have any pipes that will accept a filter, and have never considered trying any. I am about 50/50 as to whether I will smoke wet enough to get a gurgle in any of my pipes, and if I do I just pop in a pipe cleaner well before any spit-back occurs. I think it is mostly saliva that is going in, not moisture coming out, so I'm not sure a filter would be of any help. It is becoming a habit to try to keep my lips dry however.


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## OneStrangeOne (Sep 10, 2016)

One of my first pipes was a 9mm filter pipe, I probably wouldn’t have bought it if I had known, the first year or so I used the filters even though I didn’t really like em, to me it was like smoking an ultralight cig and the pipe smoked wet and hot without a filter in it, I know now that it was me and my technique and not the pipe! I used the charcoal filters for a while before I found the balsa ones. For me, I felt that the charcoal cut both the flavor and volume by about half and since I was trying to quit cigs at the time these were very unsatisfactory smoke sessions, with the balsa I couldn’t tell much difference in volume or taste and they do a fantastic job of absorbing moisture. Once I figured out HOW to actually smoke a pipe I quit using the filters altogether. I still have and use my first filter pipe several times a week and I have a couple of others that are filter pipes, it’s just an extra Cleaning step.


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## JohnBrody15 (Mar 20, 2016)

All my savinelli pipes come with balsa filters but I️ don’t use them. I️ might give em a try and see what’s what. 


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## OneStrangeOne (Sep 10, 2016)

huffer33 said:


> Interesting topic. I don't think I have any pipes that will accept a filter, and have never considered trying any. I am about 50/50 as to whether I will smoke wet enough to get a gurgle in any of my pipes, and if I do I just pop in a pipe cleaner well before any spit-back occurs. I think it is mostly saliva that is going in, not moisture coming out, so I'm not sure a filter would be of any help. It is becoming a habit to try to keep my lips dry however.


I think most of the Cobb pipes are designed for a 6mm filter, a lot of the Savinelli's are also.


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## Piper (Nov 30, 2008)

OneStrangeOne said:


> One of my first pipes was a 9mm filter pipe, I probably wouldn't have bought it if I had known, the first year or so I used the filters even though I didn't really like em, to me it was like smoking an ultralight cig and the pipe smoked wet and hot without a filter in it, I know now that it was me and my technique and not the pipe! I used the charcoal filters for a while before I found the balsa ones. For me, I felt that the charcoal cut both the flavor and volume by about half and since I was trying to quit cigs at the time these were very unsatisfactory smoke sessions, with the balsa I couldn't tell much difference in volume or taste and they do a fantastic job of absorbing moisture. Once I figured out HOW to actually smoke a pipe I quit using the filters altogether. I still have and use my first filter pipe several times a week and I have a couple of others that are filter pipes, it's just an extra Cleaning step.


 @OneStrangeOne, there are some tobaccos that give me tongue bite despite what I think is decent technique. I don't have any filter pipes but I have to admit I'd consider trying one with a charcoal filter if I thought it would make smoking Virginias and flakes consistently cooler. Mind you, I need another pipe purchase like a hole in the head.


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## huffer33 (Jun 13, 2017)

OneStrangeOne said:


> I think most of the Cobb pipes are designed for a 6mm filter, a lot of the Savinelli's are also.


Both of my "regular" MM cobs were ordered with a Freehand vulcanite stem so they came non-filtered, and the third is a Cobbit which also comes with an unfiltered configuration. I'll have to check out the two estate Savinellis more closely.


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## OneStrangeOne (Sep 10, 2016)

Piper said:


> @OneStrangeOne, there are some tobaccos that give me tongue bite despite what I think is decent technique. I don't have any filter pipes but I have to admit I'd consider trying one with a charcoal filter if I thought it would make smoking Virginias and flakes consistently cooler. Mind you, I need another pipe purchase like a hole in the head.


Yep, pretty much the same here with the bite, for me it's mostly McClelland reds which is a shame since I really like the flavors, I can smoke SG, GH&C, GLP, C&D, Wessex and a bunch of others with no hint of a bite but McClellends will get me almost every time. I think I will do some experiments with the charcoal, balsa and McClelland.


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## Piper (Nov 30, 2008)

OneStrangeOne said:


> Yep, pretty much the same here with the bite, for me it's mostly McClelland reds which is a shame since I really like the flavors, I can smoke SG, GH&C, GLP, C&D, Wessex and a bunch of others with no hint of a bite but McClellends will get me almost every time. I think I will do some experiments with the charcoal, balsa and McClelland.


Haha. You're a better man than I Gunga Din! I haven't smoked any GH&C or Wessex, and only a few McClelland aromatics that have not given me tongue bite. However, I've been burnt by all the rest at one time or another! I like VaPers and flakes but it's very hit and miss whether I get bitten. One problem is that I don't always take the time to adequately dry the tobacco, which is why I admire your careful preparation. Fortunately, English blends never give me tongue bite (but never say never). Unfortunately, they don't always have the most pleasant room note to non-smokers.


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## Champagne InHand (Sep 14, 2015)

As the more noob here I wanted to give my input. I have a pretty good palate from decades of wine as well as getting headaches makes me very sensitive to certain smells. I generally avoid unpleasant ones like acetone and a few distillates of petroleum or the distilling of alcohol. 

When I bought the Stanwell 9mm I had no idea it had an activated carbon filter inside. I immediately chucked it. 

I can tell you that in the Army and as a therapist, activated charcoal is there to absorb odors, aromas and to bind with almost anything not pure gas, like Air, mainly Nitogen/Oxygen blends. We all had to test our masks in basic training in the gas chamber, a very unpleasant experience and throughout training with constant CS grenades being tossed at us while road marching just to keep us fast at applying the NBC gear. When in field hospitals and when we moved or I wasn’t being torn apart by needing to be multiple places at once, I also had the added responsibility for the water supply system for the entire hospitals. From the rubber bladders and hoses to the pumps but activated charcoal works. I bought my refrigerator based on its water purification system. 

W also used gas masks with these AC filters in nasty latrines, if you were unfortunate enough to draw the job of pulling and burning the human waste from the latrines and they really do help. 

Like somebody stated earlier had I known that this pipe was designed for a charcoal filter, which cost $0.50-$1, I would have never bought a Stanwell or any pipe made by them. 

Now as far as the filters made of cloth or balsa, they may only absorb a small touch of aroma and do absorb moisture possibly minimizing gurgling, but I look back to when cigarette manufacturers added filters to cigarettes, and it was because of a huge Readers Digest article linking smoking to deaths, disease and a poor quality of life. Sure they absorbed some tar if you chucked you cigarette well before the ember got close to the filter. However cigarettes were made to pull the products of combustion into the very delicate lower respiratory system. Even with filters massive COPD is inevitable. It is the tar rather than the nicotine responsible for COPD and most of the cancer risk comes from additives used to smooth out flavors besides using a tea sprayed on paper that burns. 

If you reuse the balsa filters, you will get carryover from previous smokes much like dirty ash tray. 

I clean my pipes with spirits with at least 40% ABV (proof) and still can smell and taste a bit of ghosting on the first puff or two. Similar to relighting a cigar that you clipped an inch off after just a few puffs. 

It is what it is. These are put there for any old timers that might inhale or for some perceived benefit towards health. 

Not to soapbox much longer, but 40% of all lung cancer occurs in people that have never smoked, been exposed to secondhand smoke or chemicals. It’s a DNA thing. It’s similar with cancers of the mouth, throat and upper respiratory system (the nasal airways and sinuses.). You certainly increase your chances of activating the time bombs in your genetics by being exposed to smoke but people that eat flame broiler foods, smoked meats also greatly increase their chances at GI and throat/mouth cancers. 

The truth is that we all have hidden time bombs in our DNA. Pancreatic cancer has huge links to 2 specific bacteria that come from poor gum and tooth care. You can’t eliminate all of that bacteria even brushing and flossing after every time one eats or using rinses. It’s a lot like HPV and Hepatitis C, where many or the majority of cases are found dormant in people over 50 years of age as we didn’t know their transfer rates were so easy back before the 21st century. 

Does it affect the taste and aromas, well only you can answer this one because it’s all about how sensitive or trained your palate is. 

Personally I think tongue bite comes from drier tobacco and that moisture actually helps avoid tongue bite as long as you have the patience to only smoke very intermittently. Something I don’t have. I’ve actually been bitten more by Cigars at this pint as I tend to burn them down to the tiniest nub if I really like the flavor. 

I do think a filter might stop the occasional mouthful of burnt up embers when you go to poke that small amount left in the bowl. While unpleasant and I try spitting out any of that, I don’t stress too much as that is actually a form of activated charcoal, so much like eating a little bit of clay as the Avian parrot family does to keep themselves from dying while eating multiple toxic creatures from the forest, no stress. 

It will be different for different people. In the wine world there are a good size of the population sensitive to minuscule amounts of bret or TCA (cork taint). In distilled liquor it’s impurities from distillation, which is why vodkas that go through multiple columns often sell better to less experienced drinkers and why Jack Daniels No.7 is poured over the charcoal barrels before being placed in new barrels. It pulls out impurities. 

I think that most pipe tobaccos are blended specifically for use in pipes that don’t have anything messing with the process. Of course aromatics are another subject. 

For this guy, I won’t smoke with filters. I will continue to brush, floss and clean the mouth after smoking but I know that nicotine decreases blood flow to the sensitive gum areas. It just a matter of trying to keep the teeth I have as long as I can as well as trying to reduce my chances at pancreatic cancer as long as possible because any firm of mouth, throat or GI cancer is a horrible way to go. 

Does it help, only time will tell. Best to do you early screenings for such things including that annual dental check where they yank your tongue forward and look deep into you thrust and around all your oral cavity. Next year I’m so for the colonoscopy. I’m not looking forward to this but it’s just part of getting older. 

For now I will enjoy piping and cigars as much as possible. 


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## Piper (Nov 30, 2008)

@ChampagneInHand, thanks for the very interesting and informative post. It's great having you on Puff to share your wealth of experience, especially on respiratory disease, and your discerning palate. I thank you for your service in more ways than one.

It makes sense that charcoal, to which airborne solids adhere, will remove some of the flavor molecules. It also makes sense that any putative health benefits would be easily overcome by the amount you smoke. Do filters reduce harshness? I don't know. Do they reduce moisture? Probably not much, especially once they're saturated, since only some moisture comes from combustion. Perhaps the reason people use charcoal filters in pipes is the same reason people smoke filtered cigarettes: they remove some tar and give the illusion of protection from carcinogens.


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## Champagne InHand (Sep 14, 2015)

Strangely enough P&C sent me 2 boxes of basic filters that can work in my real Briars when they sent two full boxes of different pipe tobaccos I ordered. These have no charcoal and are almost hollow with slight absorbent material and light pieces to catch burning or toasted ember that make it through. 

I figure since they were free, and have no material to alter the pipe smoke I should give them a try since I have 4 Briar pipes that they fit. 

I’ll update after trying some well known VaPers with them. 


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## Stonedog (Mar 9, 2011)

I use the Savinelli 6mm balsa filters in my Savinellis. Also use them in my Dr Grabow and occasionally my MM cobs. They have to be trimmed down a little to fit which gives me an excuse to use whatever pocketknife I happen to be carrying.

I find they pull moisture out of the smoke and improve the draw but don't alter the flavor.

I replace the filters every 2-4 bowls if the pipe (or filter, I guess) has had a day or two to dry out. I avoid using filters that are still moist from the previous bowl...


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## Champagne InHand (Sep 14, 2015)

I could see the balsa filters as an option to stop the moisture on some pipes. As long as it doesn’t interfere with taste. 

Balsa is such and interesting Amazon wood with many great properties. 

My biggest issue is with the activated charcoal filters. To me it’s a scam. The Cobb filters help in keeping the puff of ash in the mouth, but if you are burning every last bit of tobacco in a bowl, that’s just part of the pipe experience. I’ll just spit or swallow. I’ve had to do this with much worse things. 


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## Champagne InHand (Sep 14, 2015)

Stonedog said:


> I use the Savinelli 6mm balsa filters in my Savinellis. Also use them in my Dr Grabow and occasionally my MM cobs. They have to be trimmed down a little to fit which gives me an excuse to use whatever pocketknife I happen to be carrying.
> 
> I find they pull moisture out of the smoke and improve the draw but don't alter the flavor.
> 
> I replace the filters every 2-4 bowls if the pipe (or filter, I guess) has had a day or two to dry out. I avoid using filters that are still moist from the previous bowl...


Do you ever just pull the balsa filter and reuse the pipe. I find I really like using a pipe more than once per day as I like to see how it handles different tobaccos. Of course I'm still figuring out each shape and style after just a month.

The only pipe prior was a bent billiard with the Peterson's spigot system. It works well, but it's still easy to get a bit of ash in the mouth of you are hell bent on burning that last touch of tobacco in the bowl.

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## Gigmaster (Jan 12, 2009)

I started smoking a pipe in 1972. It was a Missouri Meerschaum Legend pipe, and I smoked the venerabe Prince Albert tobacco. I now, and have always smoked MM pipes, almost exclusively. Some of them come with filters. I left the filters in for the first 2 or three months when I was a tryo to pipes, but discarded them eventually. I don't think they do anything positive for the pipe or the tobacco, get nasty real quick, and are a pain the rear, in general. You don't need them. 

It's up to you. It's your pipe and your tobacco. If you like filters, then use them. No one will belittle you for it. Pipers are not that kind of people. But if the filters bug you, you can toss them with no loss of the smoking experience whatsoever.


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## Joe Sticks (May 31, 2016)

I have a couple (non cob) pipes that take filters. All the rest do not. I just don’t like how they restrict draw. That can be enough of a problem with plugged cigars !


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## Stonedog (Mar 9, 2011)

Champagne InHand said:


> Do you ever just pull the balsa filter and reuse the pipe. I find I really like using a pipe more than once per day as I like to see how it handles different tobaccos. Of course I'm still figuring out each shape and style after just a month.


I wish I had enough time to enjoy more than one bowl a day... If I did I would let the pipe cool down for an hour or so but otherwise wouldn't hesitate to reuse the pipe with a fresh filter.

A little off topic, but pulling the stem when the pipe is still warm (or hot especially) can damage the stem, pipe or both. I believe "army mounts" (perhaps spigots too) came into being to address this issue.


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## shamalamastreetman (Jun 25, 2017)

*Both work well for different tobaccos*

I have a rosewood pipe (no filter), a corn cob pipe (no filter) and a Bjarne Viking pipe (9mm filter).

I've smoked unfiltered for years and recently acquired the Viking pipe with 9mm charcoal filters. I honestly cannot see any difference in taste (but I don't smoke subtle tobaccos), but the draft is slower through the filter. One plus with the filter is that when you reach the end of the bowl, the ash is trapped in the filter instead of your mouth. Flake, cut and plug I'll smoke unfiltered, but I use the Viking for ribbon and especially shag tobacco cuts.


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## Champagne InHand (Sep 14, 2015)

I have older Savinelli that were before filters. I get not wanting the ash in the mouth, but as I hone the skill I get better at not getting it in my mouth without a filter. 

Like with cigars there is a time and place to get every last drop out and maybe get some burnt lip bubbling a fantastic cigar, even using a MODUS tool or watchmaking tweezers. 

I’ll take a bit of ash for stuff like Plum Pudding Reserve or some Esoterica, but usually I try to go slower and will dump that last bit on most blends, in order to avoid the ash in the mouth. 

For me, adding filters complicates the heck out of things. Of course my favorite pipes to smoke are the Spigots, by far or the standard Peterson’s systems. 

I don’t crush up most blends to that powdered extent, which is dang easy to do and I have had my fair share of ash/waste in the mouth. I could see why one might use the Cobb filters as they are quite inexpensive and sole purpose is to stop ash from reaching your mouth. The charcoal is another thing and the added expense they put into piping could be mitigated by a third party coming up with a less expensive alternative filter sans charcoal and just be like a mesh. To me the 9mm adds way too much girth as well as weight. 

I can’t see any reason for them other than to appease government regulators, temporarily or to drive revenue. I think they might also hamper a noobs ability to learn correct ways to pipe, like drying tobaccos or going slower to do away with any bite in lightly sprayed blends. Again just my thoughts on things. For sure the charcoal doesn’t pull out any CO2 or carbon monoxide and probably doesn’t do much other than absorb some tar, nicotine and moisture. At almost a buck per unit that seems nefarious to me. 


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## Piper (Nov 30, 2008)

It seems the consensus here is that filters are useful only for blocking dottle from being sucked through the mouthpiece at the end of a bowl. Balsa wood and carbon filters soak up some moisture and tar but get quickly saturated, which makes them expensive. I don't recall anyone reporting that filters interfere with the taste of the tobacco but some did report that it interfered with the draw. The thing I wondered about is whether it reduced harshness and tongue bite but no one reported on that. 

I don't know whether filters are government mandated in parts of Europe or just part of the tradition. Here in North America, based on this thread, filters do not appear to be very popular.


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## Joe Sticks (May 31, 2016)

Well I did use a filter in a MM cob yesterday. (It’s been a very long time since I’d done so.) I was trying C&D Corncob Pipe and Button Nose blend. It’s a very fine cube cut. The filter helped prevent sucking in baccy. So for that blend, the filter was a plus.

The OP might check out the ‘breathing’ method of pipe smoking. It could help in a number of areas including tongue bite. There’s YT videos by Muttonchop Piper that are helpful.


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## Alrightdriver (May 2, 2017)

Joe Sticks said:


> Well I did use a filter in a MM cob yesterday. (It's been a very long time since I'd done so.) I was trying C&D Corncob Pipe and Button Nose blend. It's a very fine cube cut. The filter helped prevent sucking in baccy. So for that blend, the filter was a plus.
> 
> The OP might check out the 'breathing' method of pipe smoking. It could help in a number of areas including tongue bite. There's YT videos by Muttonchop Piper that are helpful.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


Good ol muttonchop taught me a lot. 
I hope you had fun. I hope you learned something. And till next time, I want to wish you and your family; happy piping.

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## Piper (Nov 30, 2008)

Joe Sticks said:


> Well I did use a filter in a MM cob yesterday. (It's been a very long time since I'd done so.) I was trying C&D Corncob Pipe and Button Nose blend. It's a very fine cube cut. The filter helped prevent sucking in baccy. So for that blend, the filter was a plus.
> 
> The OP might check out the 'breathing' method of pipe smoking. It could help in a number of areas including tongue bite. There's YT videos by Muttonchop Piper that are helpful.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


Sorry I missed these last few posts. I'm a MuttnChop fan too. Wish he'd get back to posting new videos but I guess creating new ones gets to be a ton of work after awhile.


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## Champagne InHand (Sep 14, 2015)

With a few mouthfuls of ash it’s easy to see why somebody might use the balsa or the cardboard for the cobbs. I checked the price of 9mm and there are some affordable options not that I have any pipes that take them. 

Still ash mouth is pretty nasty. 🤢🤢


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## Piper (Nov 30, 2008)

Champagne InHand said:


> With a few mouthfuls of ash it's easy to see why somebody might use the balsa or the cardboard for the cobbs. I checked the price of 9mm and there are some affordable options not that I have any pipes that take them.
> 
> Still ash mouth is pretty nasty. &#129314;&#129314;
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I thought it was interesting that @UBC03's biggest challenge in rehabbing @MattT's pipes was extracting the cardboard and balsa filters stuck in the stems.


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## UBC03 (Nov 18, 2015)

Piper said:


> I thought it was interesting that @UBC03's biggest challenge in rehabbing @MattT's pipes was extracting the cardboard and balsa filters stuck in the stems.


They swell and the tar and gunk solidifies. It's almost like they become part of stem.

Freezing didn't work..If they were mine I would of hit em with the heat gun. But it's too fine of a line between melting the tar and bubbling the stem. Not a chance I wanted to take with his pipes.

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## Champagne InHand (Sep 14, 2015)

UBC03 said:


> They swell and the tar and gunk solidifies. It's almost like they become part of stem.
> 
> Freezing didn't work..If they were mine I would of hit em with the heat gun. But it's too fine of a line between melting the tar and bubbling the stem. Not a chance I wanted to take with his pipes.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk


Pretty dang gross. I guess there are people who just don't clean their pipes, but it's seems really nasty. I guess you run that chance buying estates but it turns me off.

Though if I was buying a chimney, I guess I might expect to need it swept before using it on a regular basis.

Still this is something where the filter would become more harmful housing all sorts of nasty chemicals that would keep getting released into the body.

Sort of really pushes me to the "no filter"side, just to make me clean my pipes. I would hate to see how these folks maintained their vehicles.

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## UBC03 (Nov 18, 2015)

Champagne InHand said:


> Pretty dang gross. I guess there are people who just don't clean their pipes, but it's seems really nasty. I guess you run that chance buying estates but it turns me off.
> 
> Though if I was buying a chimney, I guess I might expect to need it swept before using it on a regular basis.
> 
> ...


Usually the former owner/user has passed and the person selling them has no idea.. Pretty rude to not change the filters on your pipes before you kick off.. Just my opinion..lol

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## Champagne InHand (Sep 14, 2015)

UBC03 said:


> Usually the former owner/user has passed and the person selling them has no idea.. Pretty rude to not change the filters on your pipes before you kick off.. Just my opinion..lol
> 
> Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk


 Funny as hell. I worked with the dying for a long time. I always wished I knew the day of passing as to take that last trip to the toilet as everybody loses all bowel control in death and leaves much more to deal with in the undies.

I know it isn't possible and while trying to pull tubes and such, so next of kin could come in and say goodbye it got routine to just do a diaper change move, as much as a respiratory therapist hates any GI stuff. But the last thing loved ones need in their mods is swing tubing in their passed relative as well as wondering why they pissed themselves and took a deuce.

Sorry if the morgue type talk turns any stomachs.

As far as getting rid of items once precious to past generations, I've finally decided to unload my moms collection of depression glass, as we don't use it and it's just taking up needed space.

I'm giving the whole lot to a lady that uses the stuff.

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## JohnBrody15 (Mar 20, 2016)

Champagne InHand said:


> Funny as hell. I worked with the dying for a long time. I always wished I knew the day of passing as to take that last trip to the toilet as everybody loses all bowel control in death and leaves much more to deal with in the undies.
> 
> I know it isn't possible and while trying to pull tubes and such, so next of kin could come in and say goodbye it got routine to just do a diaper change move, as much as a respiratory therapist hates any GI stuff. But the last thing loved ones need in their mods is swing tubing in their passed relative as well as wondering why they pissed themselves and took a deuce.
> 
> ...


There's a joke somewhere in the tying in the discussion about dirty pipe filters with people loosing control of their "bathroom activities" when they meet the Almighty, but not sure where......somewhere.....


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## Piper (Nov 30, 2008)

UBC03 said:


> Usually the former owner/user has passed and the person selling them has no idea.. Pretty rude to not change the filters on your pipes before you kick off.. Just my opinion..lol
> 
> Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk


I know I'm hijacking my own post but I've been thinking a bit about leaving stuff behind after my demise and wondering how my surviving family would deal with it. I guess it's the multiple packs of razor blades under my sink that I added to my Amazon Prime Pantry delivery to get the box to 100%.

My father left behind a bunch of things, including nice fresh batteries for his hearing aide that I gave to other old people on his floor. If you could time it right, your hearing aide would go dead just when you did. Pipes, cigars and paraphernalia-I'm hoping I have a son-in-law by then. But specialty light bulbs, a toilet augur, saws and clippers for trimming hedges-my wife and daughters won't have a clue. I hope they have a lawn sale but my guess is they'll ask a neighbor then toss the lot.

Who knew fossilized pipe filters could lead to such morbid thoughts ... Well I hope everyone's new year is a happy one.


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## UBC03 (Nov 18, 2015)

Piper said:


> I know I'm hijacking my own post but I've been thinking a bit about leaving stuff behind after my demise and wondering how my surviving family would deal with it. I guess it's the multiple packs of razor blades under my sink that I added to my Amazon Prime Pantry delivery to get the box to 100%.
> 
> My father left behind a bunch of things, including nice fresh batteries for his hearing aide that I gave to other old people on his floor. If you could time it right, your hearing aide would go dead just when you did. Pipes, cigars and paraphernalia-I'm hoping I have a son-in-law by then. But specialty light bulbs, a toilet augur, saws and clippers for trimming hedges-my wife and daughters won't have a clue. I hope they have a lawn sale but my guess is they'll ask a neighbor then toss the lot.
> 
> Who knew fossilized pipe filters could lead to such morbid thoughts ... Well I hope everyone's new year is a happy one.


You're son-in-law will be a moron. Know nothing about tobacco, golf, football or how to fix anything in his own... Just a premonition I have..lol

Or maybe that's just son in laws in general..

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## Matfam1 (Oct 13, 2017)

UBC03 said:


> You're son-in-law will be a moron. Know nothing about tobacco, golf, football or how to fix anything in his own... Just a premonition I have..lol
> 
> Or maybe that's just son in laws in general..
> 
> Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk


I know nothing about pipe filters.... SIL though+1000

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## JohnBrody15 (Mar 20, 2016)

UBC03 said:


> You're son-in-law will be a moron. Know nothing about tobacco, golf, football or how to fix anything in his own... Just a premonition I have..lol
> 
> Or maybe that's just son in laws in general..
> 
> Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk


My ex wife's parent were divorced and the father was the default moron in the family, although I think he got a bad wrap. Because he was the "moron" and trying to get into everyone's favor, I was the "afterthought." He was still a nice guy though. Now my brother in laws....I was pretty much the moron to them. But they were the jaggoff and the asshat to me. Very complex thing going on. 
@Piper, groom your future son in law to be a pipe smoker and leave all your other stuff to a group of old ladies who run estate sales. And you should be fine.


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## Champagne InHand (Sep 14, 2015)

Sorry I took us off focus but the r caged filters and pioes left behind struck home as I'm getting rid of all this depression glass my mom had collected. I went through my parents house about 6 months after dad passed. So much cool stuff but I didn't take much as I was driving across the country with my daughters and grandson. I took a cuckoo clock, we took loads of perfectly good stuff to the thrift store for donation. I was just thinking about all the stuff I've hauled out of the houses of those that passed before us and am thinking I hope to spare my kids that issue. I sure learned a lot about both my mom and dad from Old year books and such. Found out my dad had insurance policies on everything. Child of the depression.

I dread anybody having to pull all that wine up and not drink it. We downsized to a 2 bedroom place and neither of us has crossed the50 threshold.

Still the interesting stuff we collect/hoard. I'm sure that the pipes people didn't mean to leave dirty clogged pipes, but such is life.

As a bystander you can't find lost treasures for almost nothing without getting a bit dirty.

Sorry if my morose thought patterns this time of year messed up a perfectly good thread though knowing you guys I'm sure all is fine.

On brighter notes we had good eats tonight and good wines tonight at a friends house and even enjoyed smoking indoors as they are good with that in their finished basement.

These were the wines we sipped:









Champagne
An Oz Red 
A French sticky (dessert wine) and 
A small but dry sherry.

The last 3 went great with piping.

40 something talking about life, fun, Winter and just trying to enjoy the simple things.

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## pipeclubsi (Sep 28, 2008)

I use 9mm charcoal filters most of the time. After observing the moisture and tar caught in it I'm always glad to have used it. I do have pipes without filters, but I find the smoke harsh and actually disturbing the aroma experience. Much depends on tobacco as well.


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## MattT (May 31, 2017)

UBC03 said:


> Usually the former owner/user has passed and the person selling them has no idea.. Pretty rude to not change the filters on your pipes before you kick off.. Just my opinion..lol
> 
> Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk


I tried to pull them off when I got them. Think there was two or three that still had the filter. The balsa in the Sav broke in half. The paper one just disintegrated. Thankfully, the new lot is a bit cleaner and no filters. I've never used a filter in my pipes. Probably should at least give it a try.

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## Hickorynut (Jun 26, 2017)

Champagne InHand said:


> Sorry I took us off focus but the r caged filters and pioes left behind struck home as I'm getting rid of all this depression glass my mom had collected. I went through my parents house about 6 months after dad passed. So much cool stuff but I didn't take much as I was driving across the country with my daughters and grandson. I took a cuckoo clock, we took loads of perfectly good stuff to the thrift store for donation. I was just thinking about all the stuff I've hauled out of the houses of those that passed before us and am thinking I hope to spare my kids that issue. I sure learned a lot about both my mom and dad from Old year books and such. Found out my dad had insurance policies on everything. Child of the depression.
> 
> I dread anybody having to pull all that wine up and not drink it. We downsized to a 2 bedroom place and neither of us has crossed the50 threshold.
> 
> ...


That has the appearance of a very enjoyable evening....Bully-Bully!

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## Hickorynut (Jun 26, 2017)

If I'm freight training or stressing, the filter makes for a nice crutch so I don't burn a hole in my mouth..... Carry on...

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## Piper (Nov 30, 2008)

UBC03 said:


> You're son-in-law will be a moron. Know nothing about tobacco, golf, football or how to fix anything in his own... Just a premonition I have..lol
> 
> Or maybe that's just son in laws in general..
> 
> Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk


Sad but true. Also hilarious! :smile2:


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## Piper (Nov 30, 2008)

JohnBrody15 said:


> @Piper, groom your future son in law to be a pipe smoker and leave all your other stuff to a group of old ladies who run estate sales. And you should be fine.


I think Dino @UBC03 will turn out to be right. My sons-in-law will treat their bodies like temples and find pipes and cigars disgusting. But they'll condescend to their old father-in-law and find his quirky habits and unfashionable opinions sometimes irritating, sometimes laughable, but certainly nothing to be imitated. In other words, I'll become to them the "character" that my FIL and grandfather were to me. And a generation later they'll become that to their sons-in-law. :smile2:


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## Champagne InHand (Sep 14, 2015)

Piper said:


> I think Dino @UBC03 will turn out to be right. My sons-in-law will treat their bodies like temples and find pipes and cigars disgusting. But they'll condescend to their old father-in-law and find his quirky habits and unfashionable opinions sometimes irritating, sometimes laughable, but certainly nothing to be imitated. In other words, I'll become to them the "character" that my FIL and grandfather were to me. And a generation later they'll become that to their sons-in-law. :smile2:


We all become our fathers/grandfathers as we age. It's just part of life. Just sit back and enjoy it.

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## UBC03 (Nov 18, 2015)

Piper said:


> I think Dino @UBC03 will turn out to be right. My sons-in-law will treat their bodies like temples and find pipes and cigars disgusting. But they'll condescend to their old father-in-law and find his quirky habits and unfashionable opinions sometimes irritating, sometimes laughable, but certainly nothing to be imitated. In other words, I'll become to them the "character" that my FIL and grandfather were to me. And a generation later they'll become that to their sons-in-law. :smile2:


The first time I met my future son in law , I asked what his hobbies were.. He said " I run" .. WTF that's not a hobby it's a form of escape...no golf, no football,no booze, no smoking... JUST RUNNING.. the kid should be happy. No " bad habits" ..... Until he RUNS away..LOL

since then I've found out that he enjoys disc golf... Yep I had to look it up too.

Apparently you throw a frisbee in a net... Again WTF.

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## OneStrangeOne (Sep 10, 2016)

UBC03 said:


> They swell and the tar and gunk solidifies. It's almost like they become part of stem.
> 
> Freezing didn't work..If they were mine I would of hit em with the heat gun. But it's too fine of a line between melting the tar and bubbling the stem. Not a chance I wanted to take with his pipes.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk


This is why it's also a bad idea to leave pipe cleaners in the stem after your done, even if you remember to take it out a day or two later. Once the tar starts to set the fibers of the cleaners are stuck in it.


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## Piper (Nov 30, 2008)

pipeclubsi said:


> I use 9mm charcoal filters most of the time. After observing the moisture and tar caught in it I'm always glad to have used it. I do have pipes without filters, but I find the smoke harsh and actually disturbing the aroma experience. Much depends on tobacco as well.


Thanks @pipeclubsi. This is exactly the opinion I was curious about. Am I right in believing that filters are used much more commonly in Europe than in the US? How often do you replace the filters? Does it prevent tongue bite and make it easier to smoke certain kinds of tobacco? Sorry for all the questions but right now you're the man!


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## Piper (Nov 30, 2008)

UBC03 said:


> The first time I met my future son in law , I asked what his hobbies were.. He said " I run" .. WTF that's not a hobby it's a form of escape...no golf, no football,no booze, no smoking... JUST RUNNING.. the kid should be happy. No " bad habits" ..... Until he RUNS away..LOL
> 
> since then I've found out that he enjoys disc golf... Yep I had to look it up too.
> 
> ...


:vs_laugh:

Dino, that is hilarious. You remind me of my favorite comic, Bill Burr. If you haven't seen his videos on Netflix you have a treat in store.


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## scottysauce123 (Nov 8, 2017)

What is this new word I hear "filter"? Hmmm


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## Champagne InHand (Sep 14, 2015)

Piper said:


> :vs_laugh:
> 
> Dino, that is hilarious. You remind me of my favorite comic, Bill Burr. If you haven't seen his videos on Netflix you have a treat in store.


Running gives you an endorphin "high". I loved deep ocean swimming for a long, long time. You hit a wall, then slowly side stroke as the body starts to metabolize your fat cells but that anaerobic metabolism burning fat is where the body stores "not so good stuff," and you get a physiologic chemical high.

My SIL, two of my wife's cousins and a grape growing pal, all run marathons hoping to qualify for the Boston Marathon. They have described going to Boston as being tested like Olympians, no matter is you come in dead last while walking it off. The rush and cheers are so addictive but not horrible for you.

It does wear out the knees and they have to change running shoes almost every 4-6 months.

I hated running. I was the guy that would stop after a few blocks and turn around to face whatever. It's just not fun for me.

I guess I'm the Bear, not a Gazelle.

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## UBC03 (Nov 18, 2015)

Champagne InHand said:


> Running gives you an endorphin "high". I loved deep ocean swimming for a long, long time. You hit a wall, then slowly side stroke as the body starts to metabolize your fat cells but that anaerobic metabolism burning fat is where the body stores "not so good stuff," and you get a physiologic chemical high.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


There's quicker and less strenuous ways to achieve that... Just sayin

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## JohnBrody15 (Mar 20, 2016)

Piper said:


> I think Dino @UBC03 will turn out to be right. My sons-in-law will treat their bodies like temples and find pipes and cigars disgusting. But they'll condescend to their old father-in-law and find his quirky habits and unfashionable opinions sometimes irritating, sometimes laughable, but certainly nothing to be imitated. In other words, I'll become to them the "character" that my FIL and grandfather were to me. And a generation later they'll become that to their sons-in-law. :smile2:


Well put. So perhaps you'll have to work on the grandkids. The dynamic between grandpa and grandkid is one where you could pass things on. There will be a coolness factor to Grandpa Piper with his smoking and drinking and shooting that the grandkids will get into.


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## Hickorynut (Jun 26, 2017)

UBC03 said:


> There's quicker and less strenuous ways to achieve that... Just sayin
> 
> Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk


Bwahahaha.....Yes Sir Dino....

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## Piper (Nov 30, 2008)

JohnBrody15 said:


> Well put. So perhaps you'll have to work on the grandkids. The dynamic between grandpa and grandkid is one where you could pass things on. There will be a coolness factor to Grandpa Piper with his smoking and drinking and shooting that the grandkids will get into.


Yes JB! You are correct! Kids are intrigued by paraphernalia, intricate rituals and secret stashes! Novel is cool when you're a kid. Children are fascinated by manual skills. I enjoyed watching my grandmother bake and my grandfather fix leaking taps (with a Garcia y Vega in his mouth). And they love gifts. So imagine receiving a pair of cigar scissors, lighters, racks filled with pipes, jars of tobacco and a humidor full of cigars!


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## JohnBrody15 (Mar 20, 2016)

Piper said:


> Yes JB! You are correct! Kids are intrigued by paraphernalia, intricate rituals and secret stashes! Novel is cool when you're a kid. Children are fascinated by manual skills. I enjoyed watching my grandmother bake and my grandfather fix leaking taps (with a Garcia y Vega in his mouth). And they love gifts. So imagine receiving a pair of cigar scissors, lighters, racks filled with pipes, jars of tobacco and a humidor full of cigars!


Definitely. And your grandkids might look to you for what they couldn't find in their fathers....like a stash of CCs or a good bourbon:wink2: I would just wait to give them those gifts until they're like 8 or 9 :grin2:


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## Piper (Nov 30, 2008)

JohnBrody15 said:


> There will be a coolness factor to Grandpa Piper with his smoking and drinking and shooting that the grandkids will get into.





JohnBrody15 said:


> Definitely. And your grandkids might look to you for what they couldn't find in their fathers....like a stash of CCs or a good bourbon:wink2: I would just wait to give them those gifts until they're like 8 or 9 :grin2:


:vs_laugh: Yes, I think I should wait.

I had to laugh when I read your earlier quote about "smoking and drinking and shooting." My wife already thinks I'm a *******!


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## Champagne InHand (Sep 14, 2015)

Piper said:


> :vs_laugh: Yes, I think I should wait.
> 
> I had to laugh when I read your earlier quote about "smoking and drinking and shooting." My wife already thinks I'm a *******!


It's when you show them wrist watches, pocket watches and basic digital stuff and how the automatic vintage stuff is so much more fun. You let them watch while maintaining the car with the hood up and all things your sons and SILs just blew off as its natural to rebel and fathers advice is rarely cherished until we get old and they revisit our lives after we have passed. Cyclical stuff.

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## JohnBrody15 (Mar 20, 2016)

Piper said:


> :vs_laugh: Yes, I think I should wait.
> 
> I had to laugh when I read your earlier quote about "smoking and drinking and shooting." My wife already thinks I'm a *******!


My grandfather was born and raised in upstate New York, and he shot guns, hunted, fished, worked with wood... I don't think he smoked pipes but his father did. So there has to be a name for New York ******* types lol

I'm only swerving wildly on this thread because it's your thread, but say the word and we can bring it back on course!

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## Champagne InHand (Sep 14, 2015)

I’m an Upstate transplant by way of the West Coast but my wife’s family has been in the Rochester area since the 20s on her mom’s side, when the immigrated from Italy. Her dad’s side is German and have been here longer. My own forefathers lived throughout Upstate NY and Connecticut before and during the Revolution, then to Ontario, Canada as they were Quaker or some non earring believers. Anyhow the term for rednecked Upstaters is “315ers,” as that was the first area code East of Monroe County up towards Watertown and included Wayne County, an Apple growing agricultural county. 315ers went down into parts of the Finger Lakes, where folks used to be as inbred as any I’ve seen in Missouri or even Mississippi. Much because of a strong Amish/Mennonite presence but they were definitely all related once, if not now. 

But proud folk who worked the mills and produced everything from flour, milled timber and other such things. It was a hard land to farm before machinery. Rochester had the only high Falls in which people shipped their goods via the Erie Canal. The place has tons of interesting history. The people are/were tough and hearty, but very backwards compared to those down the Hudson River valley or on industrial towns along the Susquehanna river, who themselves were very different than NYC people who were either born into wealth or were newly immigrated. 

Pipes and tobacco were common ways to enjoy an evening after a long day in warm months or a way not to go completely mad with cabin fever in dark Winters. 

It’s all relative when you compare Nordic immigrants who settled the states West of the Great Lakes or traveled on Westward across this big continent as my ancestors did. 

Rednecked is just a term, like cracker or other stuff that’s no longer PC. People didn’t mean anything too bad when referring to folks by way of their ancestors place of origin. If you watched “Gran Torino,” you kind of see that. Using words like “Mick” or “Guinea,” were just ways if differentiating your neighbors and acquaintances. 

In Western Utah coal camps, the people lived side by side in coal company housing, but also termed peoples by country of origin. People from all over the world. That was less than a hundred years ago. I’ve got copies of old “tin” pictures that pre-date the Civil War. People didn’t smile in these pictures as they took almost 5 minutes to obtain an image, then they were touched up with a bit of color. We look at them today thinking they must have been so somber, but it was opposite. Most brewed their own beer, made wine from native grapes or berries and distilled spirits illegally. 

We as a country are made up of pretty “soft” people these days. They take offense to almost anything. 

So much is focused on claiming diversity these days but people have forgot the past as books written have been lost. 

Tobacco, booze, debauchery and guns were ways of life back then. You knew where your near same from either butchered or hunted. Same with crops. You knew the farms and orchards that had people’s names on them. Cured meats, smithies etc. it’s sad that most of our children are eating money on DNA tests to try to get a clue of their origins, when most families wrote this stuff down or it was left in courthouses or churches where babies were blessed and baptized. Same with synagogues or civic organizations. We just forgot where the records are kept. 

Having Mormon (LDS) relatives, I appreciate that they have vaults in the mountains filled with microfilmed records for everybody. You can search for free or pay into places like ancestry dot com who use that same information but charge you dearly. 


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## Piper (Nov 30, 2008)

Fascinating history. I grew up in southern Ontario, moving to NYC in my mid-twenties. I remember more prejudice than @Champagne InHand does, at least in the 50s and early 60s, but it has certainly (though not completely) improved since then.

Based on @Champagne InHand's summary, however, I have to admit I'm more of a 212er than a 315er LOL.


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## Champagne InHand (Sep 14, 2015)

I was an 805er, then 201er, a 415er.... kids today probably don’t even know how area codes Dane to be assigned. I guess we become relics by nature. When I place my next order I think I will buy some balsa filters to give them a proper assessment in the few pipes I own that accept them. 


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## JohnBrody15 (Mar 20, 2016)

@Champagne InHand, excellent write-up. So I guess my grandfather and his family were just a hair south of the 315ers, as they were in and around Cortland and Binghamton. 607ers I guess lol.


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## Champagne InHand (Sep 14, 2015)

Yep my daughter goes to school in Binghamton. Interesting place. The Southern Tier is the top of the Alleganies. Horsehead, Elmira, Corning (think historic glass maker, and museum,) and Owego. I’ve never seen as many mayflies as in Owego. It looked as if it was snowing. PA Allegany folk are just as interesting as people any place in KY or TN, though when you get rural, people take a bit to trust us damned Yankees. 


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## huffer33 (Jun 13, 2017)

Champagne InHand said:


> Yep my daughter goes to school in Binghamton. Interesting place. The Southern Tier is the top of the Alleganies. Horsehead, Elmira, Corning (think historic glass maker, and museum,) and Owego. I've never seen as many mayflies as in Owego. It looked as if it was snowing. PA Allegany folk are just as interesting as people any place in KY or TN, though when you get rural, people take a bit to trust us damned Yankees.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


My grandparents on my father's side settled in Rochester. Family have been around there a long time. They also did farming and grape production near Naples. They go back into the late 1600s and early 1700s fleeing persecution as Huguenots and settled very early in New Paltz. One of the ancestor's homes is preserved on Huguenot Street there as a national landmark. At least four of them fought in the Revolution hailing from NY.

It has been redone over the years and it is hard to make out the original structure.


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## Brendhain (Jun 11, 2019)

Filters are good for those who constantly burn their tongues.


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## Champagne InHand (Sep 14, 2015)

Brendhain said:


> Filters are good for those who constantly burn their tongues.


So is patience, lol. I've been down that road but have learned the sip on aromatic blends.

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## Champagne InHand (Sep 14, 2015)

huffer33 said:


> My grandparents on my father's side settled in Rochester. Family have been around there a long time. They also did farming and grape production near Naples. They go back into the late 1600s and early 1700s fleeing persecution as Huguenots and settled very early in New Paltz. One of the ancestor's homes is preserved on Huguenot Street there as a national landmark. At least four of them fought in the Revolution hailing from NY.
> 
> It has been redone over the years and it is hard to make out the original structure.


Very cool. We were back in the area during the revolution but I'm pretty sure now that they were more anti-war not just pro or against independence. The family moved to Ontario after the war.

There is some pretty old stuff here all things considered. We drive down a road that was once a fur traders path established in 1587. That is bizarre considering the only other Western areas that I've visited being older are the colonial cities of the Spanish Main or native sites like Tulum, etc

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## Fusion (Apr 5, 2017)

Im using the Balsa filters in a Savinelli, the amount of gunk that they catch even after 1 smoke is amazing, ill keep using them


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## ebnash (Mar 5, 2017)

I'm experimenting with Savinelli balsa filters on one of my Stanwells, although all of them are 9mm units. I had used the paper/charcoal filters when I first started smoking using my MM Cob, but they would come out a sloppy wet mess.

The balsa filters do a much better job, as apparently I am a wet smoker, myself. The only thing I've found, is that you need to pack the bowl much looser or he draw will go bad when you get down to the last 1/4 or so. Jury is still out for me, but I bought a 30 pack, so I'll continue to experiment.


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## Piper (Nov 30, 2008)

I've been using Vauen 9mm filters in my Porsche Design 909 pipe for about a month. I like the pipe very much and will continue to use filters in it, at least until they run out, which will be after 100 smokes. My initial impression is that the smoke—maybe—is drier and bit less flavorful but that's hard to judge because the difference is trivial. I've had no tongue bite but I rarely get that with non-filter pipes either. The filter does come out brown afterward, so some schmutz is being removed, which is counterproductive if you were trying to color a meer or unstained briar. The main benefit for me is that after smoking a pipe cleaner comes almost white. Not exactly a big deal. The main negative is that the draw is significantly tighter and gets even tighter as the smoke proceeds. This forces me to puff a little harder, which heats up the pipe (but not the smoke). According to the Bremen Pipe Smoker, the use of 9mm filters is confined almost exclusively to Germany—but that includes a lot of smokers, so filters can't be entirely bad.


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## msmith1986 (Apr 24, 2017)

I have pipes from Poland, Italy, and Germany that use 9mm filters, I think 11 or 12 total. I use these German filters, and the pack of 40 at my local shop is just under $4, so I keep using them. There isn't much restriction in air flow and very small flavor difference, but smoking wetter tobacco they definitely absorb moisture. 
As David @Piper mentioned about coloring, I don't think that would effect it much because the smoke is almost through the shank by the time it reaches the filter between the shank and stem. Also, one of the pipes I carved last winter I reamed so a 9mm filter would fit entirely in the stem and not down in the shank, and it has been darkening wonderfully, but some of that is also due to hand oils. 
Anyway, my experience with 9mm filters has been good at least.








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## Piper (Nov 30, 2008)

msmith1986 said:


> I have pipes from Poland, Italy, and Germany that use 9mm filters, I think 11 or 12 total. I use these German filters, and the pack of 40 at my local shop is just under $4, so I keep using them. There isn't much restriction in air flow and very small flavor difference, but smoking wetter tobacco they definitely absorb moisture.
> As David @Piper mentioned about coloring, I don't think that would effect it much because the smoke is almost through the shank by the time it reaches the filter between the shank and stem. Also, one of the pipes I carved last winter I reamed so a 9mm filter would fit entirely in the stem and not down in the shank, and it has been darkening wonderfully, but some of that is also due to hand oils.
> Anyway, my experience with 9mm filters has been good at least.
> View attachment 280134
> ...


Good point. The filter is downstream from the bowl (duh!). Glad you're hanging in Smitty and thanks for pointing this out.:vs_cool:


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## Scap (Nov 27, 2012)

I put the filter in my Savinelli for all of two seconds. I was not happy with the draw resistance. I can only imagine a loaded bowl would have been that much worse.

I don't like to have to work for my smoke.


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## msmith1986 (Apr 24, 2017)

Scap said:


> I put the filter in my Savinelli for all of two seconds. I was not happy with the draw resistance. I can only imagine a loaded bowl would have been that much worse.
> 
> I don't like to have to work for my smoke.


I believe those triangle balsa ones for Savinelli are 6mm too. I can imagine airflow would be extremely limited having to go around 3 sides of a triangle that barely fits in there. I would most likely agree with your assessment too. 
The 9mm ones I was talking about restrict slightly, but don't make me feel like I have to work for it at least.

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## Ericbc7 (May 5, 2020)

I have more tobaccos than pipes so I like to replace the filters between changes.


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## ukbob (Dec 17, 2019)

Use the 6mm balsa and the 9mm Peterson in my filter pipes , never had any problems with draw etc , and they do the job that they are designed for.


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## Piper (Nov 30, 2008)

I doubt if there has ever been a valid study comparing the smoking benefits (let alone health benefits) of filters to no filters. Filters do soak up moisture and get stained but I wonder how much benefit they really confer. They certainly give some benefit but is it more than cosmetic? I've tried to find out whether pipe filters became popular at the same time as cigarette filters, and for the same reason—they give the illusion of greater safety—but I haven't able to do so. Filters may also be to pipes what blades are to razors—a revenue source, albeit not a big opne. I'm probably just being cynical. Filters certainly do no harm.:noidea:


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